Sebastian Payne

Briefing: a pay rise for MPs?

What’s happening?
The rage continues today in advance of Ipsa’s expected recommendation that MPs should get a 11 per cent pay rise to take their pay to £74,000 in the next Parliament. This follows a consultation paper Ipsa released in July, with five key recommendations:

  1. Increasing MPs’ basic pay, and then linking their salaries to average earnings
  2. Overhauling the pensions scheme
  3. Discontinuing resettlement payments
  4. Further restrictions to expenses
  5. Improved communication to constituents on what MPs do

Why shouldn’t they get a raise?
Public sector pay has been frozen for several years, and while the economy is in a state of cautious optimism, the public will think MPs are scratching their own backs. As the Daily Mirror said in a rambunctious splash today, it comes across as a troubling ‘one rule for them, one rule for the rest of us’ situation.

What do MPs think about getting more money?
It’s been a mixed reaction.

Comments

Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.

Already a subscriber? Log in